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definitions

seizure

[ see-zher ]
/ ˈsi ʒər /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR seizure ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or an instance of seizing.
the state of being seized.
a taking possession of an item, property, or person legally or by force.
a sudden attack, as of epilepsy or some other disease.

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RELATED WORDS

breakdown, stroke, illness, convulsion, abduction, arrest, confiscation, fit, spell, throe, access, turn, paroxysm, spasm, apprehension, pinch, drop, bust, snatch, hook

Nearby words

seize on, seize up, seizin, seizing, seizor, seizure, sejant, sejant-erect, sejanus, sejm, sekhmet

Origin of seizure

First recorded in 1475–85; seize + -ure
Related formsnon·sei·zure, nounre·sei·zure, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for seizure

British Dictionary definitions for seizure

seizure

/ (ˈsiːʒə) /

noun

the act or an instance of seizing or the state of being seized
pathol a sudden manifestation or recurrence of a disease, such as an epileptic convulsion
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for seizure

seizure

n.

"act of seizing," late 15c., from seize + -ure. Meaning "sudden attack of illness" is attested from 1779.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Medicine definitions for seizure

seizure

[ sē′zhər ]

n.

A paroxysmal episode, caused by abnormal electrical conduction in the brain, resulting in the abrupt onset of transient neurologic symptoms such as involuntary muscle movements, sensory disturbances and altered consciousness.convulsion
A sudden attack, as of a disease.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for seizure

seizure

[ sē′zhər ]

A sudden episode of transient neurologic symptoms such as involuntary muscle movements, sensory disturbances and altered consciousness. A seizure is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which is often diagnosed on an electroencephalogram. See also epilepsy.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.